In 1897 Adam Happel moved his iron foundry from Broome St. to 1801 First Ave., Manhattan. This was at the corner of First Ave. and 93rd St. The Office for Metropolitan History notes plans filed in 1900 for 5-story brick lofts and stores at the southwest corner of First Ave. and 94th St., and then in 1903 plans for brick workshops and stores at the northwest corner of First Ave. and 93rd St. The owner in each case was Adam Happel. Probably ealier foundries were being expanded or rebuilt at this time.

Adam Happel (1852-1926) is recorded in the 1880 U. S. Census as an immigrant from Hesse Darmstadt, 28 years old, living at 212 Chrystie St. The U. S. Census Non-Population Schedules for Industies for 1880 recorded his foundry at that time as a small but profitable business. The average number of workers employed was four, and total wages paid in the past year was $2288. Sales for that period totaled $6424, and materials on hand were valued at $1440.

In 1883 Adam Happel's petition for naturalization stated that he had arrived in the U. S. at the port of New York in April 1871. At the time of the 1900 U. S. Census Adam Happel lived at 138 W. 119th St., Manhattan. He had one son, Fred, age 21, who was also in the Iron Works business, and two younger sons, Adam Jr., age 13, and George, age 9. In 1906 Adam Happel applied for a passport and declared that he was born 26 March 1852 in Darmstadt, Germany, that he emigrated on the S.S. New York from Bremen 24 June 1872, and that he became a naturalized citizen 26 Oct. 1883. By the time of the 1910 U. S. Census Frederick L. Happel (1878-1917) had his own home on E. 97th St, and Adam Happel continued to live at 138 W. 119th St. The younger sons still lived with their father. Adam Happel Jr. (1887-1951), age 22, described his occupation as "Agent Iron Works." Probably he was serving as a salesman for his father. George H. Happel (1889-?), age 20, was an "Architect, Houses."

In the Polk New York City Directory for 1915 Adam Happel Inc. consisted of Frederick L. Happel, pres. and treas., George H. Happel, v-pres, and Adam Happel Jr., sec. Frederick Happel died in 1917. So in Polk 1918 officers were George Happel and Adam Happel Jr. A short while later George Happel disappeared from directory lists (did he die?), and his place in the company was taken by a son-in-law, Theodore Riehl (he married Adam Happel's daughter, Lena (aka Helena)).

This ad for Adam Happel Inc. appeared in Polk's New York City Directory for 1916.

The Adam Happel Iron Works at 408 E. 93rd St. (near the southeast corner of First Ave.) were listed in the Manhattan telephone directory from 1910 to 1943.

Other Adam Happel iron work can be found at;

2578 Broadway Manhattan

110 Willow St. Brooklyn Heights

77 Remsen St. Brooklyn Heights

211-215 E. 24th St Manhattan

29th St. cor. 9th Ave. Manhattan

528 W. 39th St. Manhattan

236 E. 68th St. Manhattan

459 W. 141st St. Manhattan

Copyright (c) 2010 Walter Grutchfield